Aeroplane



H. M. FHANZEN. Anonima. APPHC'AIDN FILED AUGJ. i920.

rame@ June 2s, 1921,.

2 MEETS-SHEET 2.

4 INVENToR. v .Heluy'MH'a/zzen A TTORNEY unirse stares Param' ori-iosa HENRY M. FBANZEN', OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AIEBOILANE.

specificati@ ofretterirmnt. Patented June 28, 1921.

Application llled August 7, 1920. Serial No. 401,922.

ence marked'thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in l air craft of the heavier-than-air type, the

principal object being to provide supportin surfaces for the aeroplane so arranged an constructed that the steering of the same to move it in a vertical or horizontal plane is accomplished by suitable movements of Vthe supporting surfaces themselves in correspending directions. l

To accomplish this end, the horizontal wing surfaces are provided with vertical fins which serve as rudders, the supporting sur aces being universally mounte to the fuselage.

A second object is to so mount these surfaces and connect the same to the fuselage that they are practically counterbalaneed, doing away with the necessity of exterior struts and braces, thus of course lessening the air-friction surface.

By thus having the wings substantiallj counterbalanced of themselves, the contro `thereof is more easily accomplished.

The supporting surfaces consist of a pair of inde endently mounted monoplane wings at the orward end of the fuselage, and an inde'endent tail surface at the rear of the fuse age, the wings and tail being all provided with the vertical fins heretofore referred to.

In order to maneuver the aero lane so that it may readily turn in any i-rection, and so that it may also be used for stunt" flying, I have provided a common control means for the wings whereby they may be turned simultaneously about their vertical axes in a horizontal plane, and at the same time, both to ether or independently, moved about their horizontal axes in a vertical plane.

There is also an independent control means for moving the tail in any direction about its universal connection, so that the wings may be elevated and the tail depressed, or vice versa, and similarly the wings may be swung laterally to one side while the tail is swung to either one side or the other, making it possible to make very short turns, and .also perform the various stunts used in the war time and in exhibition and spectacular flying.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is dehese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of th'e following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar character of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of my improved aeroplane.

ig. 2 is a diagrammatic layout of the control means, the aeroplane structure being outlined therewith.

Fig.3 is an enlar ed sectional view of the tail end of the mac line.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan section of the' tail universal joint.

hFig. 5 is a detached view of a wing-control s a Fig. 6 is a similar view of a pedal mechanism for actuating the wing-shaft.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the fuselage, adjacent the forward end of which and transversely thereof is a tubular support 2 fixed to the fuselage and extending in an upward curve on each side thereof. At the outer ends of the support are socket members 3 in which are turnably mounted hollow balls 4, forming a stream-line therewith, and bein pivoted thereto on a vertical axis as at 5. urnably mounted on a horizontal plane in each ball' is a shaft 6, intersecting the vertical axis 5 and being bent therearound as at 7 to avoid the same.

Thus a universal joint is formed. Fixed to each shaft 7 is a wing member 8, the wing extending to each side of the axis 5 transversely of the fuselage, and having its surface on each side thereof projecting forward of the shaft 7 a certain distance asishown at 10, so that the wings are substantially countcrbalanccd by the air pressures to remain in a fixed plane relative to the fuselage, so

es j

' of the wings', so as to add rigidity thereto,

the wings being spaced apart a certain distance.

On each shaft 6 are a pair of cross arms 11 and 12 normally vertical and spaced an even distance on each side of the axis 5, being concealed in the balls 4. The arms 11 on the two shafts are adjacent each other and are fixed to the shafts, while the aims 12 are turnable thereon, while it is to be understood that both pairs of cross arms terminate at equal distances above and below the shafts 6.

The upper and lower ends of the arms 12 are connected by corresponding cables 13, which are passed over ulleys 14 suitably arranged to impart a ore and aft movement to the arms when caused to be moved. These cables are preferably concealed in the tubular support 2, so as to be out lof sight and not be acted on by the air, but I have shown lthem as extending straight across in the diagrammatic Fig. 2, for the sake of clearness of illustration.

From the ends of the arms 11, cables 15 extend throueh the support 2 to the corres ending ends of vertical arms 16 each indrdpendently and turnably mounted on a horizontal shaft 17 which itself is pivoted to thefuselage in a vertical plane as shown at 18 for horizontal swinging movement,

, each arm lmember 16 being provided with a pedal 19.

Thus it will be seen that if either pedal is acted on to turn the shafte17 and move the corresponding arm 16 in a fore-and-aft direction, the corresponding arm 11 will likewise be moved, the shaft 6 will be turned, and the wing fixed thereto will of course move in a horizontal plane about the connection of the shaft with the ball as an axis. The cables 15 of course pass over pulleys 20 placed ahead of the arms 11 and wherever else it is necessary, so as to impart fore-and-aft movement thereto with a ull on the cables. The movement just described is independent for each wing, since each one is separately mounted, and the pedal controls are each turnabl mounted on the shaft 17. At the same time no movement of the arms 12 takes place, since they are turnable on the shaft 6 and merely maintain their upright position.

If however, the shaft 17 is turned in a horizontal plane about its vertical pivot 18, both cables.15 of either one of the arms 16 will be pulled in unison in the same direction, an will act to similarly pull the corresponding arm 11 and the shaft 6 fixed thereto about the vertical axis of the ball, thus moving the wing attached thereto in a horizontal plane.

At the same time the opposite arm 12 is likewise moved by the turning of the shaft 6, and this movement pulls on both cables 13 simultaneously, causing the arm 12 on the other wing to be pulled about the vertical pivot of that wing as an axis, and thus :moving said wing in a horizontal plane in 'the same. direction as the other wing, and to the same extent. It will be noted however that even when the wings are thus turned, they may also be independently tilted in either direction by suita le manipulation of the corresponding pedals, thus providing for universal movement of the wings under all conditions.

I also rovide a tail member 21 which is connectedi to the rear end of the fuselage in central alinement therewith by reason of a hollow ball 22, similar to the members 4 mounted on a vertical axis 23 in a socket 24 in the fuselage. A horizontal vtransverse shaft 25 is turnably mounted'in the ball, and intersects the axis 23, this shaft extending transversely of the tail and fixed thereto against turning. Arms 26 are fixed to the shaft 25 on each side ofthe axis 24, and have cables 27 extending from both ends thereof to corresponding arms 28 fixed on a transverse shaft 29, plvotally mounted to the fuselage on a vertical ball and socket joint as'at 30, and positioned slightly to the rear of the shaft 17.

A lever, stick or hand wheel member 31 is fixed to the shaft 29 in line with the central joint, so that by moving said lever fore and aft, or turning the same around, the tail member will be tilted in one direction or the other, or may be moved in a horizontal plane about the vertical pivotal connection 23 as an axis.

Since the wings and tail are adapted to be thus moved, steering of the aeroplane may be accomplished thereby, and for this reason the wings and tail are provided with integral and rigid vertical and longitudinal fins or rudders 32, positioned in alinement both above and below the wings, and e ual distances onboth sides of the longitudinal center thereof, such fins projecting a certain distance forward of the transverse axis, so as to stabilize the structure, and aid in the promotion of case of manipulation of the controls.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still i-n practice such deviations 2M.r AERONAUTlCS not form a de arture from the spirit of the l invention, as efined by the appended claims. Having thus described my invention what I claim-as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-A

1. An aeroplane including a fuselage, horizontal supporting surfaces and vertical fins integral t erewit the supporting surfaces being independently mounted for universal movement relative to the fuselage, and means actuated by the aviator for moving the supporting surfaces.

2. An aeroplane including a fuselage, horizontal supportino' surfaces and vertical tins integral therewith the supporting surfaces being independently mounted for universal movement relative to the fuselage, and means actuated by the aviator for moving the supporting surfaces simultaneousl in a horizontal lane about their universa oonnections wiile at the same time allowing each supporting surface to be independently moved in a vertical planel about such uni.- versal connections.

3. An aeroplane comprisin a fuselage, horizontal and transversely a ined and independent wings, a universal joint for each Win a supporting member fixed to the fuse age and connected to the stationary members of the joints, and means operatively connected with the movable members of the joints, and actuated at will by the aviator for moving the wings simultaneously in a horizontal plane relative to the fuselage and at the same time independently of each other in a vertical plane, with the universal joints as the axis.

4.' An aeroplane eomprisin a fusela e, horizontal and transversely a ined land independent wings, a supporting member fixed to the fuselage and projecting on each side thereof, a universal joint member mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis, the wing corres ending being mounted to the joint on a orizontal axis intersecting the vertical axis, and means for moving the joint about its vertical axis and the wing simultaneously about its horizontal axis with the joint.

5. An aeroplane comprising a, fuselage, horizontal and transversel alined and independent wings, a supporting member fixed tothe fusela e and projecting on each side thereof, a bal mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis, the win corresponding being mounted to the bal on a horizontal axis intersecting the vertical axis, and a commonly actuated means for moving the ball about its vertical axis and simultaneously moving the wing about its horizontal axis.

6. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, transverse and independent monoplane surfaces, a tail, a universal joint connection between each supporting surface and the fuseage, a common means for moving the monoplane surfaces about their universal connections, and independent means for moving the tail independently of the monoplane surfaces.

7. An aeroplane comprisin a fuselage, horizontal and transversely a ined and independent wings, a supporting member fixed to the fuselaffe and projecting on each side thereof, a ball mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis, the wing corresponding being mounted to the ball on a horizontal axis intersecting the vertical axis, and concealed cables for holdin@ the wings in fixed positions relative to tlie fuselage, whereb exterior braces are eliminated, the cables eine' operatively connected to be manipulated to move the wings about their axis.

8. Afn aeroplane comprising a fuselage, horizontal and transversely alined and independent wings, a supporting member fixed to the fusela e and projecting on each side thereo'f, a bal mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis, the wing corresponding being mounted to the ball on a horizontal axis intersecting the vertical axis, a shaft formin such horizontal axis turnable in the ball ut fixed to the wing against turning, arms projecting at right angles to said shaft on each side of the vertical axis,

and cables operatively connected to the arms and adapted to be moved to turn, the shaft and the wing fixed thereto in a vertical plane, and to independently move the shaft about the vertical axis in a horizontal plane.

9. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, horizontal and transversely alined and mdependent wings, a supporting member fixed to the fusela e and projecting on each side thereof, a ball mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis, the wing correspending bein mounted to the ball on a horizontal axis, intersectin the vertical axis, a shaft forming such orizontal axis turnable in the ball but fixed to the wing against turning, arms projecting at right angles to said shaft en each side of the vertical axis, cables operativelyl connected to the arms and extending to t e fuselage, and means therein connected to the cables and actuated by the aviator whereb the cables may be manipulated to turn t e shaft and the win fixed thereto through a vertical arc, and to independently swing the shaft and wing about the vertical axis.

10. An aerrplane comprising a fuselage, horizontal an transversely alined and 1ndependent wings, a tubular sup orting member projecting from the fuse age on each side thereof and fixed thereto, a hollow ball mounted in each end of the support on a vertical axis and forming a stream-line junction therewith, a wing mounted to each ball on www p n' 1 :,aaama a horizonal axis intersecting the v ertical axis, a shaft forming each such horizontal axis turnably mounted in the corresponding ball but fixed to the wing against turning, arms fixed on said shaft on each side of the vertical axis, and cables operatively connected to the 'arms and passing through the tubular support tothe fuselage and arranged to both hold the wings in a fixed position relative to the fuselage and to be moved to turn the wings universally about their axes.

11. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, tubular supporting members pro'ectino from the fuselage transversely t ereo wings mounted for universal movement at the outer ends of the supports, and control means for the wings extending through the tubular members and concealed therein.

12. An aeroplane `comprising a fuselage, tubular supporting members projecting from the fuselage transversely thereof, a hollow ball at the outer ends of each support, mounted thereto on vertical axes, wings mounted to the balls on horizontal axes, and control means passing through the tubular supplorts and into the balls and connected to t e shafts for moving and holding the wings.

13. An aeroplane including a fuselage transverse supports projectin upwardly at a diverging angle rom eac side of the fuselage, a wing for each support, a universal joint connection between each wing and support, and stream-line hoods substantially covering said joints and fixed to the wings, the latter extending rearwardly of the omts.

1 An -aeroplane including a fuselage, transverse and tubular supports projecting upwardly from the fuselage on each side thereof, a ball socketed in the outer end of each support and pivoted thereto on a vertical axis, a wing foi` each ball pivoted thereto on .a horizontal plane, and a hood fixed to the wing and extending to the ball to lie substantially in streamline continuation thereof.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

HENRY M. FRANZEN. 

